Heat transfer enhancement techniques are very important to save more energy by using optimal energy sources. Heat transfer rate depends upon different parameters like Reynolds number, properties of fluid, nature of surface, mass flow rate, velocity, temperature and pressure. Many techniques are used for heat transfer enhancement in which swirl flow devices are effective. For enhancement of heat transfer, smooth pipe with tangentially injected swirl flow is better option than other heat transfer enhancement techniques. Swirl flow in smooth pipe with tangential injection gives higher mixing of fluid and higher turbulence which improves heat transfer at lower pressure drop, which means lower pumping power. The objective of this project work is to perform CFD analysis of the heat transfer enhancement in a pipe flow by using tangentially injected swirl flow. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a powerful tool for predicting fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer and related phenomena. CFD analysis is carried out for smooth pipe with axial flow and then smooth pipe with tangentially injected swirl flow for a constant heat flux which is maintained on the circumference of the hollow pipe. Tangential injections are given by pipes of the different diameters like 3, 6 and 9 mm. For different mass flow rates, Nusselt numbers and friction factors are calculated by experimental setup as well as CFD. Then validation is achieved by comparing CFD results with experimental data. For CFD analysis, setup geometry is made in Pro-E software. Then geometry is imported in ICEM software, in which geometry cleanup and mesh generation process are done. In FLUENT software, boundary conditions, problem specification, numerical computation, result and report generation are done. The Reynolds number is varied in the range of 10000 to 30000. Nusselt number and friction factor is calculated from both experimental results and results obtained from software. Keywords: Heat transfer enhancement, swirl flow, tangential injection, pumping power, CFD analysis, FLUENT softwareCite this Article Mondloe Dilbag Singh C. CFD analysis of heat transfer enhancement in a circular pipe flow by swirl flow. Recent Trends in Fluid Mechanics. 2015; 2(3): 16–44p.
